Gabbert Gabs: ‘I just try and get better each and every week’

TEMPE, Ariz. — Cardinals quarterback Blaine Gabbert is coming off two solid outings in his first starts for Arizona and he has his third Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.

Here, in this space, with help from the Cardinals’ media relations staff, we’ll highlight many of the key topics and personnel conversations he has with reporters following practice.

On his performance against Jacksonville:

“It was a good team we played. I think that defense lived up to their billing so far this year. They’re a stingy defense that didn’t let us get in the red zone. But, I will say that we capitalized on our opportunities. Looking back at that game, our defense did a tremendous job of shutting down their run game.

“(Leonard) Fournette had been going for a hundred-plus (yards) each and every game. They did a great job giving us great field position, and the opportunities we did have, we capitalized on. We had some big plays. I got to protect the football there at the end of the game. We all know that, but all in all, it was a great effort versus a good defense.”

On the Rams stingy defense:

“Like you said, they have a great defense. Everybody’s talented in the NFL. It’s a week-to-week thing. Everybody’s got great players. They have a great front seven. Their secondary is playing hard. They’re forcing turnovers, they’re playing fast. We’re going to have our hands full, but at the end of the day, we’re going to focus on what we can control: going out there and execute each and every play, not getting ahead of ourselves and just playing good football.”

On the last few weeks and how things have changed for him since the Cardinals last played the Rams in London:

“I would say the way things have changed, that’s just par for the course in the NFL. You never know what’s going to happen, and the unexpected happens all the time. Like I said last week, when these opportunities do arise, you just have to make the most of them, and just preparing the same way each and every week throughout a season will help anybody having to come into a situation where they’re expected to play and play at a high level and win games.”

Just having that routine set in stone, preparing like you’re the starter week-in and week-out, just helps ease that transition.”

On if he can look back at the last time he played the Rams in 2016 to prepare for this week’s game:

“Yeah, that was a long time ago. That’s a long time ago. The team has changed. That was Week 1 of last year. So, there have been a lot of games between now and then. You never really go back that far and look at things, especially at two polar opposites of systems. That’s a tough comparison.”

On if anything about Chandler Jones jumped out at him when he was the 49ers quarterback:

“He’s phenomenal. He was always a guy we watched on tape and were like, ‘Wow.’ He’s a special player, and just the things that he can do with his hands and swiveling his hips and making plays rushing the quarterback. But, what really stands out is how stout he is against the run and what he can do to pull in guards.”

Being at the point of attack in the run game, he makes people look foolish. He did that on Sunday. I can’t remember how many tackles for loss he had, but I feel like every time I looked up, it was Chandler Jones TFL. He’s a great player, and he’s a great person. He works hard day-in and day-out, and he’s a great teammate.”

On how playing on scout team with Ricky Seals-Jones helped develop chemistry:

“I think just the reps throughout the season when we were on scout team, going back to, really, training camp, getting reps with him, both trying to learn the system. Then being on scout team the first eight, nine weeks of the season, just doing our best to emulate our offense, use our verbiage when we were doing that. He’s always been a great football player. Just seeing him translate the last two weeks in big-time games, it has been a lot of fun to watch.”

On Seals-Jones being a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses:

“Yeah, he’s a great football player. He’s big; he’s athletic; he catches the ball, sticks his foot in the ground and creates separation. It’s what you want in a tight end, because most linebackers and safeties in the league don’t want to cover a guy like that.”

On if he knew early on that Seals-Jones was going to be a special player:

“Yeah, we had a pretty good idea that he was pretty special right when he got here, like I said, just the way he’s worked and prepared, learning our system. He was a college wide receiver, and then not only learning an NFL system, but learning a totally new position, as well. It’s just a testament to him and the coaching staff, how hard they’ve worked to pick up and get rolling on that new spot.”

On if other teams were interested in him when the Cardinals signed him:

“That was a long time ago. Yeah, there were some other calls, but I knew the best spot for me right when I came out here. That’s it.”

On how much upside he thinks he has left:

“I just try and get better each and every week. Being so new into this system, new to this team, it’s still a learning process. Early on in the week, there are new plays that we put in that I haven’t seen before. So, I’m just trying to learn on the run and do the extra work early on in the week on Mondays and Tuesdays, so when we get out here on a Wednesday, you’re not thinking.”

You’re reacting to the different looks that the scout teams are giving us and just going from there. Upside is one thing, but it’s up to the player to realize that. I’m just trying to work hard to get there.”

On why he felt like Arizona was the best spot for him:

“Just the feel that I got when I came here. Really, coming to a spot where I knew Drew (Stanton). I knew Carson (Palmer). I knew what those guys were about. Then, seeing B.A. (Bruce Arians) and what he’s been able to do. Having Byron (Leftwich) as a quarterbacks coach, coach (Tom) Moore and the plethora of offensive talent. It was a spot where I just wanted to be.

“I wanted to be in this kind of a system where it’s so quarterback-driven, conventional-style system I thought fit me. More than that, it was the way we run this organization, from the top down – from Mr. Bidwill to Steve Keim to B.A. to the coaching staff. It was really just a tremendous visit, and that’s it. I came here. I’m here now.”

On the conversations he has with Coach Arians regarding scripted plays or plays he likes to use on game day:

“I’m not going to delve in too much of what we talk about or what schemes we go against. He values the quarterback’s input, and that’s huge. Having the head coach and the play-caller trust the quarterback – what he likes on certain downs and distances, first and second down, third down, in the red zone – because, really, when you look at film on a Monday, you look at your third down conversion rate and your percentage of scoring in the red zone.

“You get field goals or touchdowns and how long you stay on the field on third down. Just him trusting our input in those situations is huge, and we go back and forth. We all like certain plays, but the conversations are great.”

On if reaction to his mustache has been positive over the last month:

“I’d say back and forth, but I’m pretty proud. I don’t really grow much facial hair, but this is like a month strong growing the ‘stache.”

On whether he’s received a nickname because of his mustache:

“No, not yet. It’s pretty gross though.”

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